TNT found an unlikely hero in Kim Aurin to lift the depleted Tropang 5G to a 93-90 overtime win over San Miguel in the PBA 50th Season Governors’ Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Aurin buried back-to-back threes in the final stretch of overtime to stun the Beermen en route to their second straight win amidst injuries to their top players that now includes RR Pogoy and Jordan Heading.
Aurin finished with a career-high 22 points to help TNT improve its record to 3-2 in head coach Chot Reyes' 62nd birthday.
With TNT down, 85-83, Aurin buried a straight-away three with 47.9 seconds left in overtime. After a George King lay-up, the Tropang 5G reclaimed the lead with a right corner three with 25.9 seconds left.
Aurin was actually fouled by King on the play for a three-point play. He missed the bonus free throw but Aurin secured the offensive rebound, that led to a Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson lay-up with 10.4 seconds to settle the final score.
“I really don’t know how we did it,” Reyes said. “From all of my emotional intelligence and mental strength coaching, I know how important mindset is.
“We could have had an attitude going into overtime where we said na ‘overtime na naman, we had the last shot,’ we could have had that negative attitude. That’s why I made it a point to reframe it into a positive mindset. I said, ‘Who would have thought? Don’t lose hope, wag kayo mawalan ng loob,’ who would have imagined na ma-oovertime natin ang San Miguel.”
Aurin’s heroics spoiled King’s resurgence in the second half where he finished with 35 points after an eight-point first half.
San Miguel was beaten for the second straight time to fall to 3-2 win-loss.
The scores:
TNT 93 – Aurin 22, Nambatac 21, Hollis-Jefferson 20, Erram 12, Galinato 6, Jalalon 5, Quitevis 4, Ferrer 3, Khobuntin 0, Ganuelas-Rosser 0, Enciso 0, Varilla 0.
San Miguel 89 – King 35, Fajardo 14, Lassiter 13, Trollano 12, Cruz 6, Brondial 4, Ahanmisi 3, Tautuaa 2, Ross 0, Hernandez 0, Cahilig 0.
Quarters: 25-15; 46-34; 65-55; 73-73; 93-89.
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